While we prepare for our second day of activities, please find below few pictures from the ongoing launch for Sounds Like Graffiti taken by one of our youth collaborators.  Yesterday was a good and exciting day all in all and the artist “family” came quickly together to address all the difficulties setting up such an innovative project sometimes involves.  We now have 3 ways of accessing the plays in the park – SMS, MP3s and bluetooth – in addition to of course to what you see here online.

Bradford is a town dotted with mills. Mills form the landmark, anchors, sometimes places to meet. Mills holds the ground and the map of the town together. They form the bedrock of Bradford’s past. But the present is South Asian influenced. Parts of Bradford seems to have time-shifted into a bazaar in South Asia. Sarees and dress material available on sale, adverts for pulses and fragrant rice, halal mutton shops. Stark visible difference in sights and sounds even within Bradford and off course contrasting with London.

The most exciting part still is the youth centres where one find oneself amongst super-charged young individuals with so much raw, differentiated experience. While town itself looks peaceful and simple. The stories narrated by these individuals brings to surface some really violent stories. Bizarre and interesting stories ought to be retold.

We tried to pull together some of the stories into short films and realised acting seems easier when you are witnessing it from behind the camera. Rehearse the lines and blurt it out. What could be simpler? We seem to put more emphasis on the technique of putting snippets of film together which seems harder. Being put in front of the camera just puts it in perspective. Both camera persons in this case are acting out amateur car-jackers who have just been caught. Let me admit it, its hard.

In comparison the participants from youth centre make it look so much easier. Scott trying to sell a hoodie to a bystander as Brendon pretends to be the model.

Bradford is whole lot of fun especially just walking down the streets. For instance, Bart trying his hand at selling pizza in local diner.

Some introductory shots from Bradford, teaching youth centre youth in use of still camera and getting to know the city.  The aim here was just to get familiarity with the camera, get some background info of the use of different media tools and how these could be worked with the best.  The shots below taken by the youth themselves.

Some more shots from the second workshop in Bradford.  The aim of this workshop – besides slowly getting narratives about the city down – was to get a few of the girls to use video cameras to work with the team and eventually record some of the activities of the Sounds Like Graffiti project.